Entries this day: muchan-lesson take-apart-puzzle 日本語を勉強しました

muchan lesson

21:48 Tuesday 21 July 2015 JST

Nice lessons with Y and M today. Y is getting better at speaking, though sometimes I wonder if I push her too hard. Muchan always does great homework so it's a lovely breeze to help her out because she has tons of material to check and practice, though she's loathe to speak, so I usually just end up checking her homework.

take apart puzzle

18:50 Tuesday 21 July 2015 JST

Hmm! There are several metal two-piece take-apart puzzles at the toy store. There are a couple that I can solve in a trice, and one which I can solve, but takes a bit of fiddling.

That was my mistaken thought until today. Turns out I hadn't fully solved it! I think!

The puzzle consists of two triangularly coiled "nails," each with three curves. One curve is about 90 degrees, the other is about 50 degrees, and the last goes 180 degrees (as the head of the nail curves into the interior like a paper clip) (I should have taken a picture!!)

I thought linking the nails from their 180 degree turns was the point furthest from start, a claim further supported by the puzzles being shipped in that configuration (I think).

BUT, one of the puzzles had the two pieces linked at the 45 degree bend, and I couldn't get them out of that configuration in the same amount of time that I thought I fully solved the other version! Holy cats! Is the 45 degree angle the end point??

日本語を勉強しました

08:59 Tuesday 21 July 2015 JST

There are probably errors in the Japanese notes below!

1. tough, strict, difficult きつい
2. difficult, hard 難しい　むずかしい
3. 苦しい　くるしい　painful, difficult
4. good enough, sufficient けっこう
5. sufficient 十分　じゅうぶん
6. satisfactory 満足　まんぞく
7. ぶじ　safe, peace
8. 事務的　じむてき businesslike
9. 眩しい　まぶしい dazzling, radiant
10. 賑やか　にぎやか　bustling
11. 明白　めいはく　clear
12. 苦い　にがい　bitter
13. 若い　わかい　young
14. 迷惑　めいわく annoying the kanji for bitter and young are annoying!
15. 面倒　めんどう troublesome
16. 無知　むち　ignorant
17. 無駄　むだ　wasteful
18. 無料　むり　impossible
19. 大げさ おおげさ　exaggerated